Laser-induced isotopic effects in titanium resonance ionization

Abstract

Titanium isotope ratios have been measured by resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) with special emphasis on the nature of laser-induced isotopic selectivity. A pronounced wavelength dependence of even mass isotope ratios is caused by large nuclear volume effects near the magic neutron number 28 in ^(50)Ti . Optical isotope shifts, ranging from 0.07 to 0.21 cm^(-l), between ^(50)Ti and ^(46)Ti were measured for several transitions. The ^(50)Ti/^(46)Ti and ^(48)Ti/^(46)Ti ratios, nevertheless, exhibited only mass-dependent fractionation, in which the lighter Ti isotopes were enriched by ~2.5%/amu, when the laser operating parameters were properly controlled. Odd-even mass isotopic selectivity in the resonant ionization process was also examined for several transitions as a function of the laser polarization state and intensity. Under saturating conditions for a ΔJ= +1 transition and a high degree of laser depolarization for a ΔJ = 0 transition, the odd-even isotopic enhancement was reduced below the 2% level. The Ti isotope data agree with our previous results for Os and indicate that, by a careful choice of resonance transitions and laser operating parameters, isotope ratios can be measured accurately and reliably with RIMS.